Formal Arrangements
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Several years after they met in college, Blake and Weiss have moved in together. They've enjoyed their lives together for so long, and now it's time to start turning the page to the next chapter of their story. [Sequel to Taking Chances]
1. Chapter 1

**This is a new reward from my patron Bjorn Jeppsson! This story follows up their previous reward story Taking Chances. This was a really wonderful piece and I loved writing it! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Formal Arrangements

Chapter 1.

It had been several years since the first day Weiss had set foot into Blake's university.

They could both still remember it very clearly, how Weiss had turned heads and caused countless rumors to spread around campus, particularly from the Faunus.

How Blake had tripped over her own two feet and ended up in a pile of laundry because she'd been staring.

How Weiss had secluded herself from everyone around her, and how no one else had made any efforts at inviting her in. At least until Blake, Ruby, and Yang had made the offer.

How Blake and Weiss had started to steal shy glances at one another, brush their hands together.

And how they'd eventually started dating, standing up for one another at the restaurant, and comforting one another when they'd gotten back to their dorms.

That night in particular remained as being one of the most significant of their relationship thus far.

There had been many more since then, such as the day they'd graduated university together, the day they'd told their parents about their relationship, and the day they'd moved into their new apartment together.

But now, two years after graduation and one year after they'd moved in together, Weiss was entertaining ideas for the next big unforgettable day of their relationship.

But it was still a long ways off.

She and Blake lived together in a very nice apartment in town, not too far from either of their parents' homes. Ruby and Yang had gotten an apartment together nearby, both pairs helping to financially support each other.

Weiss had naturally gotten a job at her father's local jewelry store, one of the main stores in the chain. Blake had gotten a job at the local library and also wrote and edited a few articles for the newspaper on the side.

They both worked diligently from nine to five every day, sending each other little texts or calling each other during their breaks to check in.

They each loved their jobs, but their favorite part of every day was undoubtedly coming home.

Blake often got back before Weiss did, so she'd start preparing dinner so Weiss didn't have to fret about it. Blake's job was very quiet. All she had to do was help people navigate their way through a library, organize books, and look over a few documents.

Weiss' job, on the other hand, was very different. She had a lot of responsibilities, especially considering she was working right under her father's watchful eye. She had keys to vaults and display cases that contained extremely valuable diamonds and stones, she had to deal with customers who would often argue with her about prices or the legitimacy of the products, and despite the intense security she was always nervous of robbery.

By the time Weiss got home each day she was always exhausted, so Blake did all she could on her part to help lessen her girlfriend's burden.

Presently, she was chopping vegetables for a salad while a pot on the stove boiled water for soup. She was playing cozy music from the little radio in the living room, her ears perked and alert for the sound of Weiss' car pulling in outside.

The second she heard the engine that unmistakably belonged to a very nice car one's wealthy father could afford to pay for, Blake put down her cutting knife and quickly washed and dried her hands. She slid across the hardwood floor in her slippers, hurrying through the little living room area to grab onto the railing of the staircase. She made quick work of scurrying down to reach the door and opened it outward right as Weiss was reaching for her key.

"Oh! Blake!"

"Surprise." Blake opened her arms and Weiss moved right in, squeezing her tightly and releasing a long sigh. Blake did what came naturally upon seeing Weiss and started to purr softly.

"Welcome home. How was your day?"

"I can tell you it's much better now that it's _over_."

"Oh, no. Here, give me your purse. Tell me what happened."

Blake carried Weiss' purse up the stairs for her as Weiss slipped out of her jacket and hung it on a hook on the wall. She left her formal shoes at the wall and followed Blake up the steps.

"It was just so aggravating. The way some of these people feel the need to fight with me. It's very difficult not to snap."

"I can imagine. But you've always been good with keeping your cool."

"They make it extremely challenging to maintain it."

"Sorry you had a bad day." Blake put her girlfriend's purse down on the couch and turned to bring her into another hug. She undid Weiss' ponytail for her, un-restricting her hair and letting it breathe. Weiss took the hint and did the same.

"It's fine now that it's over. I have you to myself all night."

"Yes you do. And you have dinner waiting."

"Blake Belladonna, you are a blessing."

Weiss strained up to kiss her, and Blake indulged. When she eased back, she urged Weiss to sit on the couch and relax a bit.

"I'll be another minute or two. Just take it easy now."

As Weiss obliged and took a seat on the couch, she kept her gaze on Blake in the kitchen.

"How was your day then?"

"Same old. Quiet. Calm. Uneventful."

"Consider me jealous."

Weiss leaned herself back against the couch and closed her eyes, letting the tranquil music and the familiar sounds of the apartment wash over her senses.

Of course her job stressed her out sometimes, but lately there'd been something else tacked to the back of her mind that had increased her anxiety. She was thinking about it constantly at work, but even more so at home around Blake. Since it _involved_ Blake.

She had been thinking about it for weeks now, probably an entire month at least, and every day it just took up more and more of her thoughts. She knew she had to do something about it quickly before it started to affect her work-

"Weiss?"

Weiss opened her eyes with a gasp to find Blake looked upside-down at her from over the couch, smiling.

"Dinner's ready. Eat first and then you can rest more."

She leaned down and kissed her girlfriend softly, then skirted around the couch to offer her hand. Weiss brushed off her troubled thoughts and accepted, standing with a grunt before following Blake across the room to the little kitchen table.

Blake had already set out the bowls of soup, one of their warmest meals for the final chilly days of winter.

Naturally with the amount of money at her disposal, Weiss had found them a very nice, spacious, modern apartment. But her only complaint was that the heating never seemed to work all the way. The place was always lukewarm at best, and she often came home to find Blake piled beneath layers of sweaters and robes.

Even now, dressed exactly like that and sipping at hot soup, Blake's arms were shivering a little. Weiss tried to eat quickly but not exactly at a rush.

They talked about their days, but Weiss ended up doing most of the speaking due to how frustratingly eventful hers had been.

Blake listened attentively, ears flattening according to Weiss' stress level as she recounted everything. Rude customers, difficult customers, stupid customers, all of whom Weiss was required to treat with the utmost respect, respect they weren't even the slightest bit deserving of. Just reliving it all was stressing her out again, so Blake stood and gently quieted her with a kiss.

"Tell me the rest after you've had a nice long shower."

Weiss sighed but smiled up at her.

"I will."

So while Weiss was in the bathroom, Blake cleaned the dishes and tidied up the kitchen. She then went into the bedroom and lit a small stick of incense to help soothe the atmosphere.

When Weiss emerged dressed in her long-sleeved nightgown, Blake helped dry her damp hair for her. When it was Blake's turn to shower, Weiss took care of laundry in the meantime and then prepared a pot of green tea.

By the time Blake was finished all of their nightly chores were complete. But even though Blake had put her warm layers back on, she was still shivering due to her wet hair.

Weiss coaxed her to the bed and hurried off to get the hair dryer, then sat down behind her. She turned the device on low, because she knew the sound irritated Blake's ears in spite of her love for the heat. Weiss made sure to use her free hand to cup behind Blake's Faunus ears and not blow on them directly.

She knew exactly how to care for Blake in the perfect manner by now, and Blake was quick to relax and close her eyes. She trusted Weiss with everything, including her sensitive ears.

Weiss continued until Blake's hair was totally dry, then went back to the bathroom to put the hair dryer away and turn off the lights in the other rooms. She went into the kitchen, poured out the tea that was now ready, and retreated to the bedroom once more. As soon as Blake saw the teacups in her hands, another purr rumbled to life.

"You're the best."

They sat side by side and warmed themselves up, sipping at their teacups until they'd finished and put them aside.

From there they crawled into bed, shuddering at the coolness of the sheets and the pillowcase as they laid themselves down. Weiss hadn't even finished stretching her legs out before Blake was pulling her in, hugging her with fervor as she shook the shivers away. Weiss hugged her shoulders, running both hands up and down her back softly.

"You poor thing. I'm sorry it's still this cold."

"It's all right," she purred. "I don't mind it if I have you."

"The feeling's mutual."

Weiss curled herself closer to Blake, resting her chin over her shoulder for a few moments as she closed her eyes. Blake was still purring faintly, but she was still shaking a little too.

So Weiss gave a gentle push and eased her girlfriend down onto her back, then laid down on top of her. She kissed Blake's forehead, then gradually moved down to her lips. Blake exhaled a long gravely purr as the last of the chills finally dwindled.

Weiss watched her fondly, relishing the warmth that being with Blake elicited in her heart. She loved her more and more each day and more and more each night.

Which was why she'd been entertaining thoughts, those thoughts that had been distracting her at work, bubbling up at every given opportunity...

They came again now, and Weiss started to feel the tightness gnarl in her stomach once more. She quickly laid her head down on Blake's shoulder so her girlfriend wouldn't see her expression. She tried to relax against her, but she realized she was breathing manually and everything was jumbling inside of her.

Blake noticed too. Weiss suddenly grew tense in her arms and her breath quickened along with her pulse. Blake put her purr on pause for a moment to concentrate on Weiss instead. She kept her arms locked at the small of her back but soon started to rub them up and down. When she looked up, Weiss had already hidden her face from view.

"Weiss? Is everything okay?"

"Yes, of course."

"Really? Because you seem like you're stressing out again."

"You're imagining things."

"Weiss..." Blake nuzzled the side of her girlfriend's head, running a hand up to the center of her back. "You can't get stressed at home too. This is where you're supposed to relax. There's nothing you need to worry about, okay?"

Weiss wished she could believe that. She had to make Blake believe that she did.

"Right. I know..."

"Then why is your heart pounding so hard?"

Weiss made a withering sound in the back of her throat and still refused to look up. Blake stroked through her hair gently and let her purr resurface.

"Take it easy. You worry too much about every little thing. Just take a deep breath. I'm burning lavender."

Blake demonstrated and inhaled slowly, letting the pleasant scent of the incense fill her lungs.

Weiss followed suit, drawing in a slow, controlled breath, trying not to think about what she kept thinking about. She just wanted to relax and focus on Blake. If she couldn't relax then Blake wouldn't be able to either.

So she thought of it that way, and let it be for her girlfriend's sake instead of her own. That made it much easier. Her heartbeat and breathing slowed and calmed down significantly.

Blake's purring increased as she felt Weiss' condition improving. She eventually rolled the smaller girl off herself and laid them back on their sides facing each other. Weiss finally looked up to her in the darkness, blue eyes shining softly.

"Thank you, Blake."

"Happy to help."

But another shiver ran through her, and this time Weiss took over.

"Come here, you."

She pulled Blake in to her chest, cradling her there and pulling the blankets up to her shoulders. Blake clung to her back and snuggled in, releasing her purr fully now. Weiss planted little kisses between and directly on her Faunus ears, then started to hum a little.

Weiss' song combined with Blake's purr, and they each provided one another with their own lullabies.

"Goodnight," Weiss whispered. "I love you, Blake."

"Love you too, Weiss."

And Weiss knew the thoughts would come back to pester her in the morning.

But for now she could just forget and enjoy and rest.

* * *

About a week later, Weiss was the one who suggested both of them invite their parents out to dinner one upcoming evening. She'd told Blake her reasoning was simple: that they hadn't all dined together in quite a while now.

Blake agreed it would be nice to have everyone get together again for a nice evening, and so she'd made the offer to her parents as soon as possible.

Weiss did the same, calling up her parents and asking when a convenient evening would be for everyone.

Eventually they decided on the following weekend. Which meant Weiss still had a whole entire week of work to fret about what she'd been fretting about all this time.

She did her best not to get distracted at work, but by Friday she was almost despondent with how jumbled her thoughts were. The second her shift was over she all but hurried out the door. She drove home slowly in contrast, mumbling to herself about what she planned to do and how she planned to do it.

They were having dinner with their parents tomorrow evening, so she still had one day left to over-think things. But at least for tonight it meant she could mentally plan it out just one more time.

She prepared a dress in advance for tomorrow and Blake followed suit, each of them excited for the family gathering.

But of course Blake could still notice that Weiss' excitement was more on the side of stress than anything else. She'd noticed her girlfriend had been particularly high-strung – even for Weiss Schnee – in the past few weeks, but recent days had only seen that tension escalating to the brim.

So Blake quite literally caught her girlfriend after dinner, hugging her from behind as she was trying to wash the dishes. Weiss jumped in surprise and paused as she dried her hands off on a towel.

"Blake? Is everything all right?"

"I should be asking you." Blake nuzzled her cheek and then kissed her there. "What's going on, Weiss? Is something happening at work? You seem so... nervous or something."

"What? No, not at all!" Weiss turned around in her arms and hugged Blake's shoulders softly. "Everything's fine. I can promise you."

"Are you sure? You've been acting a bit odd lately."

"It's nothing bad, I assure you. I'm just a little excited for dinner tomorrow."

"Is that all?" Blake checked. She held Weiss close for a moment, letting her heightened senses hone in on her. But although Weiss' pulse was a bit quick, she could tell the energy wafting off of her was more positive than negative. Eustress if anything.

Weiss helped reassure her further. "That's all, Blake. I'm all right. But you're so sweet to worry." Weiss thanked her with a tender kiss to the lips, smiling fondly as Blake pulled her in close. When they eased back Blake's ears had lifted and the worry had faded from her eyes.

"If you're sure, then. But still, you worried me, so now I have to make sure you're okay."

Without warning she bent down to scoop Weiss up into her arms. Weiss squealed and curled her hands to her chest as she was picked up bridal style.

"B-Blake, the dishes-"

"Can wait. You've been working too hard." Blake leaned down to kiss her again, then turned to carry her into the bedroom. She laid Weiss down on her back gently, then climbed up next to her, nuzzling against her nose and stealing another kiss. She draped an arm across Weiss' chest and pulled her in close, then let out a soft purr.

"You know you don't have to stress about tomorrow," Blake reminded her. "Our parents are on good terms now. I'd even say our fathers are friends, wouldn't you?"

"Of course."

Their families hadn't exactly started out amiable, considering all the nasty rumors that had surrounded the Schnee family's jewelry store business. But after their daughters had started seeing one another, their fathers had gradually started to tolerate each another. And after several months, and then a few years, tensions had softened between everyone. Now their mothers were quite close and their fathers were like old friends. And Winter liked Blake very much, even if Blake had been more than a little intimidated by her for a while.

"I just have to wonder if I'll ever grow on your little brother," she sighed.

"Whitely is as stubborn as we Schnees come. But he'll have to get over himself."

Weiss snuggled into her girlfriend's embrace and hugged her close, closing her eyes as she tried to calm her thoughts once again.

They took it easy for the remainder of that evening, got all of their chores done so they would be able to sleep in as long as they wanted to tomorrow.

And they really slept in.

They didn't start rousing themselves until nearly 11AM the next day. Weiss got up first to shower, but even after she was finished Blake was still curled up in bed fast asleep.

So Weiss made breakfast - omelets and fruit salads - and brought it to her girlfriend in bed. Blake whimpered happily, hugging and kissing Weiss repeatedly as they settled in together to enjoy the meal.

It was a comfortable kind of day where they just stayed inside and cleaned house a bit, watched some TV and cuddled up together.

When evening neared, they started getting ready for tonight. Weiss adorned her pretty blue dress and shawl, while Blake put on a black leggings, a long skirt, and a purple blouse. She took Weiss' hair out of its ponytail and brushed it for her, then tied it back up differently. She left most of Weiss' hair down but gathered just a portion of it into a small ponytail to sit at the center behind her head.

When she was finished, Weiss brushed Blake's hair for her too. She was still excessively jittery, but she just kept telling Blake it was because she was excited for dinner.

"We haven't done this in so long," she told her. "I'm just a bit giddy, that's all."

But inside she was an absolute mess. Her heart was racing a mile a minute long before they even stepped foot out of the apartment. She was stiff and nervous as Blake drove them to the restaurant, and then even more so once they walked in to find their families had just arrived as well.

The only comfort for Weiss then was Winter, who knew exactly what Weiss was planning to do tonight. Weiss had confided in her older sister and no one else.

So when she saw her now, Weiss hurried over to her and threw her arms around Winter, hugging her desperately as she whispered to her frantically.

"Winter! I'm so nervous! I'm not sure I can do this..."

Winter held her sister firmly. Weiss was trembling, and she knew her well enough to know Weiss had been fretting like this for weeks on end. Winter patted her back softly to soothe her.

"You'll be just fine, Weiss. You can do this. I'm going to help you, remember?"

Weiss inhaled shakily, then let it out.

"Right..."

"Take a deep breath." Winter eased back and rested both hands on Weiss' shoulders. "It's going to be fine, Weiss."

"But what if he-"

"Hush now." Winter gave her sister a quick kiss on the forehead, then turned her around. "Go greet Mother and Father first."

So Weiss did as she was told and went to hug her parents first before she could worry even more. She also gave Whitely a pat on the head, to which he snorted.

And then Weiss found herself face to face with Blake's parents. Kali and Ghira were dressed very nicely, and the second Kali was done hugging Blake she couldn't wait to pull Weiss into an exuberant hug as well.

"Weiss, dear, it's so good to see you! You look lovely!"

"Thank you..." Weiss relished the compliment and the support for a second until Kali eased back, looking to her husband. "Darling, doesn't she look lovely?"

Weiss stiffened now as Ghira stepped toward her, towering a solid few feet higher than her. He grinned and laughed a jolly chortle.

"Yes she does! How are you, Weiss?" He offered his burly hand, and when Weiss went to shake it her own hand was only half the size.

"I'm very well sir, thank you..."

"Now now, I've told you before. Call me Ghira, I insist."

Weiss could only dip her head and recoil back to Blake's side. The Faunus girl had just finished shaking hands with Weiss' father, and both of them were a bit relieved to be done with the greetings. Neither man had exactly been thrilled at the idea of his own daughter dating the other's at first, so both girls were still a bit hesitant around them.

Blake turned to Winter who offered her a brief embrace as well.

"Thank you for looking after Weiss. I know she's a bit of a handful."

"Not at all," Blake chuckled.

After that Blake turned to Whitely, who just crossed his arms and huffed. Willow gave him a light shove on the shoulder.

"Whitely, don't be rude."

"But Mother-"

"He's just jealous," Winter smirked, looking back to the Faunus girl. "I told you he doesn't like you solely because of the fact that you took Weiss away from him."

"That isn't true!" he cried. "Mother!"

But Willow only chuckled to herself alongside her eldest daughter. Whitely blushed bright red. Weiss hurried in to hug him.

"You are so precious!"

"Get off of me!"

Everyone had a laugh at the poor boy's expense, but it lightened the mood even further. As the waiter led the group over to their table, Weiss found Blake's hand and squeezed gently. Blake jumped slightly until she realized it was her.

"Sorry. Was I too quiet around your dad?"

"Not at all," Weiss assured her. "He likes you very much, Blake. He may not express it much, but he does."

"Are you sure?"

"Very. As you'd said it's only Whitely, that little scoundrel... I'm still more worried that your father doesn't approve of me..."

"He does," Blake said. "He definitely does. Trust me."

"If you say so..."

They all took their seats, and Weiss made sure to keep Winter on her other side. Conversation struck up naturally as everyone started talking about work and school and business and news.

Weiss almost forgot her nervousness, but it resurfaced every single time her gaze met Ghira's. Her stomach was so knotted she could barely eat her supper. Blake was starting to get concerned.

"Are you feeling all right?" she murmured so only Weiss could hear. "Do you feel sick?"

"No. Still just a bit nervous..."

"Don't be." Blake kissed her forehead briefly.

Weiss appreciated the concern so much. But she wasn't nervous for the reasons Blake thought she was. Only Winter knew the real reason.

Her older sister noticed Weiss' taciturn behavior now and nudged her foot beneath the table. Weiss flashed her a panicked look, trying to communicate without speaking. Winter simply tilted her head and smiled.

Weiss tried to pick up on her sister's confident aura. She managed to eat some more of her food in spread-out intervals, and even joined the conversations a bit.

It was when the bill was delivered that she spiraled all over again, because she knew it was finally time to do what she'd been fretting about for so many weeks now. Once again she met her sister's eyes, and Winter understood her cue. They'd planned this out together casually, but now it was time to put the plan into action.

As everyone was standing from their chairs and putting on their coats, Winter spoke up.

"Before we leave," she said, looking to her parents. "I'd like to observe the statue in the corner. You know the one."

"Ah, yes," her father nodded. "It's a very fine piece. I asked the owner about it once. Said it came all the way from Atlas."

"You don't say?" Winter easily pulled her father on board with her tactic, knowing he'd love to rant and rave about his hometown as much as possible, especially if it meant he could look important in front of the Belladonnas.

So as the group was beginning to shuffle over to the corner of the restaurant, Weiss quickly caught Blake's wrist.

"I'll be along in a moment. I've got to run to the restroom."

Blake couldn't really be sure because of the tightness of Weiss' grip on her, but she almost got the feeling Weiss was shaking.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, fine! Go ahead now, I'll be there soon."

Blake held her gaze for a moment longer, then flicked her ears. She didn't go without leaving Weiss with a quick kiss to her temple. With that she turned around to follow Winter across the restaurant with the rest of Weiss' family.

Ghira and Kali were just about to set in behind their daughter when Weiss made her move. Heart pounding, she reached out to grab Kali's wrist with an almost vice-like grip, her voice so clipped it was nearly a yelp.

"Wait! Please..." Her soft shriek gained both of the Faunus' attention. They turned around to give her their full attention. Kali's ears were perked tall while Ghira tilted his head, puzzled.

"Weiss, dear?" Kali said. "Is something the matter?"

"Yes, you look rather pale," Ghira said.

Weiss' heart was in her throat as she looked up at him.

"It's n-nothing," she stuttered. "I-I mean it's not. I... I have to ask you both... something..."

Blake's parents shared confused looks with one another. Ghira shrugged and softened his voice a little.

"You can ask whatever you'd like, Weiss."

"Yes, anything." Kali used her free hand to ease Weiss' grip off her wrist. She picked up both of the girl's hands and held them gently, sensing that her unease was almost crippling.

Weiss knew she didn't have a lot of time. She tried to dig through her mind and recall the speech she'd planned, the exact words she'd wanted to tell them. And though she'd had it memorized weeks ago, now that it was time for the real thing it all went out the window. She just needed to get to the heart of the matter.

"K-Kali..." she said. "Ghira..." She'd never called Blake's father by name before and shot him a nervous look. But he only smiled and nodded approvingly. Weiss drew in a deep breath and continued. "I... as you know, Blake and I have been together for quite some time now... and, well-"

"Ghira-!" Kali gasped, her eyes suddenly filling with tears as she clutched Weiss' hands. "Ghira!"

"Let her finish, darling." But in spite of his words, Weiss could tell he too was getting excited. A big smile was already spreading across his face and he braced a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Go on, Weiss."

Weiss could barely breathe at this point, let alone speak. So she just said what was most essential before she forgot how to form words altogether.

"I... I'd wanted to ask you both... for your blessing..."

She closed her eyes and waited. Waited for the drawn-out silence where both of them debated and thought it through, considered their disapproval-

"Yes!" Kali cried. "Dear, of course you have our blessing!" She didn't waste a second before replying and pulled the heiress into an excited hug so tight it crushed away Weiss' numbness. Which in this case was a good thing, because she'd lost feeling in just about every part of her body by this point.

Kali lifted her up until her shoes were an inch off the ground, and Weiss hung limply in her embrace until she was put down again a second later. She very nearly fell over, and she probably would have if it hadn't been for Ghira lifting her up a split second later.

"Of course!" he bellowed, holding her up by the underarms. He was grinning so widely Weiss thought it must've hurt his face.

She was suspended in the air now at least three feet off the ground, utterly baffled by his reaction. She'd anticipated a warm reaction from Kali, but not from him. She'd thought he'd be disapproving, that he wouldn't accept the idea of his daughter marrying a Schnee, even if their family relationship had been mended.

Weiss' eyes were wide in shock, and she didn't notice she'd already started crying until Kali did.

"Ghira!" she gasped, tugging on his arm. He looked down at her, then back to Weiss to find tears dripping down her face.

"M-My apologies!" He quickly put Weiss down again where Kali rushed in to hold her hands once more, keeping her steady.

"Weiss? Dear, are you all right?" Kali was crying too, tears of excitement and joy, but she frowned now, unsure of why Weiss was so upset.

Weiss was still for a moment, trying to comprehend things. She shook her head slowly, watching the tears drip down in the process.

"I-I-" She lifted her face, looking back and forth between them. Even Ghira was tearing up by now. Weiss couldn't believe this was real. It was almost too good to be true. "You... You both... approve... of me...?"

"What are you saying, dear?" Kali pulled Weiss into another hug. "Of course we do!"

"I'll admit, not at first," Ghira said. "I still remember the day Blake came home from college and told us she'd found herself a girlfriend." He was still smiling, and reached up to rub his knuckles over his eyes. "We were so happy for her. Of course we weren't too thrilled that you were a Schnee-"

"Ghira..."

"But that was my mistake," he continued. "I ended up judging you by your name before I even knew you properly. As it turns out you're the perfect match for my daughter. I've never seen her happier than when she was with you. And even now she often calls to tell us she's the happiest she's ever been."

"She... She does...?" Weiss hadn't known about that. She often had similar calls with Winter and even her own father as well. She felt a few more tears drip down her face. "So then you...?"

"We will gladly give you our blessing, Weiss. Nothing would make us happier than for you to take Blake's hand."

"Nothing," Kali agreed. "And we know she'll just be _so_ excited. And surprised!"

Weiss was still trembling, still unable to fully comprehend all of this. That she'd actually gotten their approval. That now she could actually start thinking about a ring...

"P-Please-" she managed. "Don't tell her."

"Of course we won't!" Ghira said, giving a firm pat to Weiss' shoulder. "We'll keep quiet until you're ready."

Weiss exhaled. "Th-Thank you. I really... really love her..." More tears welled up and tumbled down and she couldn't continue.

Ghira and Kali shared another smile.

"We know you do, Weiss," he said. "Thank you for making her so happy. We know you'll only continue to do so."

Weiss nodded into her hands, trying to stifle the sobs. Kali finally got ahold of herself and quickly put an arm around the girl.

"Come with me to the restroom." She saw that the others were coming back, hastily shielded Weiss from view, and managed to guide her to the restroom.

Weiss stood there against the sink for a few moments as Kali fussed over her, handing her tissues and damp paper towels to clean her face with. She used a few tissues for herself as well, and made sure to keep a steadying hand on Weiss' back.

"You poor thing. You were so nervous." Kali leaned in to kiss Weiss' forehead. "Thank you for finding the courage to ask us. Ghira and I couldn't be happier."

Weiss wiped her face one last time before offering a smile.

"I hope I can make Blake half as happy as she makes me."

Kali smiled and just pulled her in for another embrace. Weiss let out a shuddering breath. Her stomach was still knotted in all sorts of ways, and it felt like she might lose her supper at any moment. Kali sensed her dilemma and eased back.

"Don't worry, I'll do the talking." She waited until Weiss was ready, then guided her back out into the restaurant.

Blake had been looking for them since she'd gotten back, but now when she finally spotted them her heart jumped into her throat. The last she'd spoken to Weiss she hadn't seemed well, and now Blake's mother was supporting her as she staggered out of the restroom.

"Mom? Weiss?" Blake rushed forward to them, reaching out to help her mother support her girlfriend. Blake put a hand to Weiss' cheek and looked down into her eyes. "You're so pale. What happened?"

Before Weiss could fret more in trying to think of a response, Kali answered for her.

"Just a bit of food poisoning. Make sure you take good care of her when you get home, Blake."

"Of course." Blake's ears went flat in dismay as she looked back to her girlfriend. "I'm sorry. I knew you weren't feeling that great."

"It's quite all right, Blake. Don't apologize."

The group finally headed out into the lobby to disperse and go their separate ways home. Weiss could tell that Kali and Ghira were trying not to hug Blake too excitedly, lest they make her suspicious.

And when Weiss finally got to throw her arms around Winter she felt dizzy with relief. Winter pulled her close and murmured for only Weiss to hear.

"So I take it went well?"

Weiss nodded.

"Yes. Thank you for the assistance, Winter."

"My pleasure. I'm so happy for you, Weiss." She kissed her younger sister's forehead and gave her a pat on the back. "Be sure to call me with any new developments."

"I will. Thank you so much, Winter."

Weiss gave her one last squeeze before she hugged each of her parents goodbye, and even Whitely gave her a hug that was only half-begrudging.

Blake and Weiss watched as their respective families exited the restaurant, until it was just the two of them in the lobby. Weiss was leaning into Blake's side, weak with relief. But Blake interpreted it as a more concerning form of weakness. She gave her girlfriend a once-over, ears still flat as she sensed the abnormal little pulses wafting off of Weiss.

"How's your stomach?"

"A bit tight," Weiss admitted. "But I'll be fine."

"Are you sure? Should we stop by the pharmacy?"

"There's no need for that." Weiss wrapped her arms around Blake and nestled into her collar. She'd been so caught up in her own emotions she hadn't even realized until now that Blake was quivering too. With a gasp she pulled back, eyes wide with panic. "Blake, you're shaking! What's the matter?"

"It's nothing," she said quickly. "Really."

"Did my father say something to you? Was Whitely rude to you? I'm sorry I-"

"Weiss, calm down," Blake soothed. "I mean yes, I did... talk a bit with your dad, but it wasn't anything bad. I promise."

"Still... being alone with him must've been so nerve-wracking for you."

"It wasn't so bad. Your sister's always been on my side."

Weiss whimpered softly and hugged herself close again, cradling the back of Blake's head gently. She could feel for herself that Blake's pulse was rather fast.

Weiss felt guilty for going off and leaving Blake alone with her family without warning her first. Her father had probably said something insensitive without even realizing it. Weiss sighed over Blake's shoulder before easing back again.

"Are you all right?"

"Weiss, I'm fine. You're the one who has food poisoning."

"Your mother made it sound worse than it is. She was just being cautious."

"Still, let's get you home." Blake wrapped an arm around her and led her to the door, then out into the cool evening. Weiss rubbed her hand up and down her girlfriend's back.

"Are you sure you're all right to drive?"

"Absolutely."

They spent several more minutes fretting about each other in the parking lot, then continued all the way home until they'd climbed up the stairs to their apartment, taken off their shoes, and changed into their sleepwear.

Blake insisted on making tea while Weiss sat in bed. The only reason Weiss had agreed to that was because she knew Blake would prepare a cup for herself, and Weiss wanted her to have a calming drink before bed. She wished she could've prepared the tea instead, but Blake didn't let her.

So Weiss simply sat up in bed against the pillows and replayed the conversation she'd had with the Belladonna's this evening. She still couldn't believe they'd given their approval. This meant she could start looking for a ring, start planning a proposal...

But thinking that far ahead right now only made her stomach flip again. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Blake's footsteps nearing the bedroom, and a moment later she appeared with a tray balancing two teacups in her hands.

"It's done," she said as she made her way to the bed. She sat down slowly and placed the tray in her lap in case of any spills. She picked up Weiss' cup and offered it to her.

"Thank you."

Both of them still trembled a little as they held their cups to their lips and sipped slowly. And then they both got to worrying about each other again, and then reassuring each other again.

By the time they'd finished their tea and Blake and put everything aside, both girls seemed equally exhausted.

"Goodness..." Weiss sighed. "It seems all we've done tonight is fret..."

"I can't help it," Blake mumbled. "Back at the restaurant, you looked like you were about to faint."

"And you were shaking like a leaf in a storm."

They both leaned into each other and sighed. Their hands soon found their way around each other's backs and sides as they laid down together.

"But you know," Weiss continued. "I would say tonight was a fairly successful night, all things considered." A trill of excitement went through her unbeknownst to Blake.

"You're right," her girlfriend agreed. "Our parents had a great time seeing each other and getting to talk again. I'd say it was a good night."

"A very good night."

Weiss knew her own supposed 'sickness' wasn't actually as bad as Blake might've thought it was. But she was still worried about what had been said between Blake and her own father in Weiss' absence.

Whatever it was Blake hadn't mentioned it since, and Weiss didn't want to press her. But she still felt awful to think her father might've said something insensitive.

She felt she needed to compensate for it now, so she curled her arms around Blake and coaxed her close. She cradled the back of her head and let Blake rest against her chest, then used her free hand to pull the blankets up over her back.

"I apologize again if my family did anything to upset you..."

Blake wasn't surprised that Weiss was still worrying about that. She brushed her cheek against Weiss' collar and let herself get comfortable.

"I told you, it was nothing. How're you feeling?" She slipped a hand across Weiss' nightgown and started to trace her stomach in slow circles. She felt Weiss draw in a deep, controlled breath before letting it back out.

"I'm all right. I promise."

Blake felt a kiss being placed between her ears, and she reciprocated by pressing her lips to the hollow of Weiss' throat. Her own jitters had finally calmed down, though when she listened to Weiss' pulse she still found it jumpy. So Blake let out the purr once again, sharing the soothing vibrations and the comforting pressure.

"Rest," she murmured. "But if you need anything just wake me up, okay?"

"The same goes for you, Blake."

"All right."

"All right."

So they both closed their eyes, curling up together in the quiet of their bedroom.

For a while they simply lay there, each of their minds swarming with their own private thoughts.

Eventually, the pulse shared between them began to even out. Blake's purr slowed in time with her breathing, and Weiss matched her own breath to the pace.

Finally their hearts calmed down and their thoughts eased into more tranquil avenues.

At last the two girls left all their worries for tomorrow and fell asleep together.

* * *

 **A/N: I wrote Taking Chances so long ago, it was such a pleasure to come back to give it an epilogue! It's always nice to revisit and extend older stories and revive them a bit! This one in particular was fun to write because of the specific style, which will make sense in the coming chapters.**

 **Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm glad a few people are up for another Monochrome fic. Glad you've enjoyed it so far! Let's see what Weiss has in store.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 2.

Weiss was surprised she managed to sleep at all that night with how terribly excited she'd been.

The next morning she woke up feeling rather rested, but more than anything the bubbles of nervousness and delight were popping inside her chest. Blake was still asleep, so Weiss simply lie on her back for a moment, staring up at the ceiling.

 _I can't believe I really did it. And what's more, her parents actually said yes._

She turned her head slowly and looked to her girlfriend. Blake was on her side facing her, her eyes closed, brow lax, hair ruffled, ears comfortable. She was breathing softly, clearly undisturbed in whatever dreams she might be having. Weiss watched her fondly for a long moment as her thoughts took off once again.

 _This means that soon, she won't just be my girlfriend. She'll be my fiancee..._

She hadn't even said the word aloud, but imagining it in regards to Blake... being her fiancee... Her heart fluttered and started to race just a bit.

With a smile Weiss turned over to face the sleeping Faunus girl and moved her face closer to hers on the pillow. She touched the tips of their noses together, then rested her forehead to Blake's, letting their cheeks brush. When she closed her eyes, her eyelashes tickled Blake's skin.

Weiss inched herself a little closer, making it easier for her to find Blake's lips with hers. She kissed her very lightly, not wanting to wake her just yet, then settled her head beside hers, arms draped loosely across Blake's upturned side.

A powerful swell of emotion surged up in Weiss' chest, one that was a bit too intense for her first thing in the morning. She couldn't stop a familiar sting from rising up behind her eyes. The tears slipped out slowly, running down her cheeks and into the pillow. She did her best to stifled the little gasps that accompanied them as not to wake her girlfriend.

But Blake was roused from her slumber a few seconds later anyway. Her sensitive ears were constantly tuned in to Weiss, even while she slept. And as soon as her condition changed, Blake could tell instantly. She could sense the little waves of distress coming off of her, detect the speed of her heart through little pulses in the air.

Blake recognized the signs that she was crying before she was even conscious, but ultimately that was what roused her from sleep. She heard the disturbance in Weiss' breath and in the way her heart stuttered with little jolts of hiccups.

Blake opened her eyes in a rush, her chest tightening with dread as she found Weiss lying there beside her with tears running down her cheeks. Her voice was a croak but she reached out for her right away.

"Weiss-?" Blake stroked her girlfriend's cheek with extreme care, trailing her hand down over her shoulder and along her side, rubbing softly. "Weiss, what's wrong-?"

She was already pushing herself up onto her elbow, ready to bolt and make a call or fetch whatever Weiss might request of her.

But when Weiss next opened her eyes, the blue of them was clear and shining, not clouded with grief or pain like Blake feared they might be. To her pleasant surprise a smile found its way onto Weiss' lips right away.

"Blake- It's okay." She quickly wiped her eyes and cleared off her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Never mind that." Blake cradled the back of Weiss' head gently and pulled her a little closer, petting through her hair. "Why are you crying?"

Weiss sniffled, but the smile remained.

"It's nothing bad. I'm just... so happy..."

"...Huh?"

"I mean just what I said." Weiss proved her words with her smile and reached out for Blake as well, gingerly combing her fingers along the base of Blake's ears and then down through her hair. "Everything's fine, Blake. I just... got to thinking about how much I love you and I couldn't help myself."

Blake could hardly believe it. Out of all the worst-case-scenario things she'd been ready to hear, she hadn't even considered something this preferable. The fingers over her ears brushed softly, the backs of Weiss' nails stroking away the tension in her body as her hands trailed down to Blake's shoulders and rubbed in firm circles.

Her eyes were so lovely, shimmering with tears of joy and love, her lips so beautifully curved. Blake let out a long shaky breath and pulled the girl in to her chest in quiet desperation.

"You scared me..."

"I'm sorry. I'm all right, Blake."

Blake felt the unease draining out of her system. As the realization that Weiss wasn't hurt or upset settled over her, a comforting warmth began spreading through her body. It wasn't much longer before a purr started bubbling in her stomach.

Weiss hugged her tightly, nestling her face into the side of Blake's shoulder, and the Faunus girl brushed her cheek against the side of her head, pulling her as close as possible. The purr rose up and became fuller, louder, sending hearty rumbles and vibrations across Weiss' body as well.

"I'm glad you're okay," Blake murmured.

"Sorry for startling you first thing in the morning." Weiss let her hands roam all across her girlfriend's back, kneading her fingers in here and there and pressing herself closer. "I just... I love you so much, Blake..."

Blake purred a little harder.

"I love you too."

She felt it for herself when Weiss' heartbeat evened out, the little sobs having faded by now. Blake's ears stood tall atop her head now, relaxed and elated as she continued to pamper the girl in her arms. She kissed Weiss' scarred cheek, and in return felt Weiss cupping each of her Faunus ears in turn, scratching softly.

Blake closed her eyes again and let her body relax against hers. To think she'd found herself a girlfriend this wonderful, this adorable. A girlfriend who would wake up and start crying first thing in the morning just because she was thinking about how dearly she loved Blake.

Blake felt a rush behind her eyes now as a few tears trickled down her own face. She wrapped Weiss more tightly in her arms and breathed into her.

"I love you so much, Weiss."

Weiss nodded, turning her face so she could kiss Blake's cheek.

"The feeling is mutual."

The two of them lazed about in bed for a while longer, simply cuddling close, playing with hair, and sharing chaste little kisses. When Blake started to purr, Weiss pressed herself fully against her to feel it rumble through her chest in time with the faint thumping of Blake's pulse.

Weiss let out a small giggle at the tingling sensation that went through her stomach, and Blake's ears perked up to the sound. She purred a little harder and earned another laugh. Then she glided her fingers down Weiss' back, allowing her nails to brush in lightly. Weiss squealed and jolted in her arms.

"Blake-!"

But Blake wasn't backing down now. She pushed Weiss down onto her back and pinned her with a smirk before commencing the tickle attack.

Weiss yelped and squeaked beneath her, trying her best to flip or turn over to avoid Blake's wiggling fingers, but Blake always managed to get a reaction. She tickled Weiss' sides, stomach, and the small of her back when she could, unable to keep the smile off her face at the adorable sounds. Weiss laughed and giggled between gasps of Blake's name, her eyes squeezed shut as she did her very best to defend herself to little avail.

Blake played and had her fun for a few more minutes before she relented, easing herself down over Weiss and kissing her lips softly. She didn't linger on her mouth long though, letting her catch her breath as she moved instead to trail her lips along Weiss' cheek and temple.

Weiss' arms wrapped around her back weakly, playing idly through her hair. Blake went back to her lips for one more kiss, then laid her head down on Weiss' chest. Her ears flicked as she listened to Weiss' heart, a fast and lively beat drumming against the sensitive fur.

Blake nuzzled her chest softly, her body rising and falling in time with Weiss' as she caught her breath. She waited and listened until Weiss' pulse slowed and steadied, until she felt the hands in her hair regain enough strength to start stroking gently down her back and up to her ears.

Weiss let out a heavy but happy sigh as her eyelids finally lifted. Blake perked up to look down into that beautiful blue.

"Sorry. I couldn't help myself. Are you okay?"

Weiss gave her a little smirk.

"You're lucky I'm so exhausted. Or else you'd be suffering payback as we speak."

"I'll count my blessings then." Blake leaned in to peck her girlfriend's lips once again, gave her one last squeeze to the mattress, then eased herself off. "To compensate, you stay here and rest and I'll make breakfast."

"Not so fast." Weiss pushed herself up and let the blankets fall away. "I had plans for breakfast this morning."

Blake rolled her eyes.

"All right."

She stood before offering Weiss her hand, and once she had it they strolled into the kitchen together to start making breakfast.

And as they cooked and cleaned and went about their daily weekend activities together, Weiss was able to forget about her nervous excitement for the most part.

Only when she laid down for bed beside Blake again that night did her mind really have the time to wander back there.

The thoughts still clung to the back of her mind and resurfaced every once in a while, but now that the act of speaking to Blake's parents was over with, it was more excitement than anxiety. She already had a plan for what she might do about a potential proposal. But she just needed a second opinion on it.

That was going to be a job for after work tomorrow.

So for now she simply closed her eyes, kissed Blake one more time, and let sleep come.

* * *

The next day, Weiss told Blake she needed to stay at work a bit later after closing time to discuss business with her father.

It was the first time she could remember lying to her girlfriend since they'd moved in together. She felt terribly guilty about it, but not when she reminded herself it would all be entirely for the best in the long run.

So while she knew Blake was heading home from the library to have supper by herself this evening, Weiss was closing down the jewelry store at the same time as always, with no actual business to talk with her father about.

Instead of staying late at the shop to address business matters with him, Weiss gave him a hug and a kiss as always, then headed out to her car. Just as she started it, her phone buzzed and she checked her messages. One was from Blake, a motivational text:

 _ **Good luck staying late!**_ Followed by several hearts.

Weiss smiled and typed a quick reply, estimating what time she would be home.

The second text was from someone else. Her best friend of many years since college, Ruby Rose.

 _ **Weiss! Are you coming over now? When will you be here?**_

Weiss sighed and smiled as she pacified her energetic friend. She had asked if she could meet with Ruby this evening in private at Ruby's apartment. She and Yang lived together, but Weiss had made a specific request to have an evening alone with Ruby.

Luckily enough, Ruby had told her Yang would be out tonight meeting a friend, so it worked perfectly.

As Weiss started driving, she began to feel those familiar jitters all over again. She hadn't told Ruby why she'd wanted to meet with her tonight. All she'd said was that it was very important.

It only took her about ten minutes to get across town to Ruby's and Yang's apartment complex. When she pulled into a spot and looked up, she was surprised to find Ruby standing there outside waiting for her. Weiss quickly parked and got out of her car.

"Ruby? What on earth are you doing out here?"

When she heard Weiss, Ruby perked up and rushed over to her.

"Weeeiissss!"

As soon as she reached her she threw both arms around her in a crushing hug. Weiss staggered back against her car as she caught her.

"What's gotten into you?"

"I'm just worried!" Ruby wailed. "W-What's so serious that you needed to come here alone and talk to me? Did something happen? Did you and Blake have a fight? Oh god please don't tell me you're breaking up-"

"Ruby, calm down." Weiss almost chuckled at how the girl was over-reacting. She patted Ruby's head softly to reassure her. "Nothing bad happened between Blake and I. Everything's fine. More than fine, actually."

"Really?! Oh, thank god..." Ruby slumped against her in relief. "I was so worried..."

"And I appreciate that very much." Weiss coaxed her back a pace. "But shall we continue this conversation inside?"

"Oh yeah, of course!"

"Just to be certain, you do have a key to get back in, don't you?"

"Weeeiss! I only locked us out twice before!"

"Right."

The playful banter served to lighten the mood as they headed up the stairs and up to the sisters' apartment. Ruby had to fumble in her pocket for the key but she had it, and she invited Weiss in.

It was very similar to Blake's and Weiss' own apartment in terms of structure and space, but all of the personal touches were very different. There were a lot of posters, some workout equipment, and video games in the living room, but the major difference was that they had two separate but smaller bedrooms. And of course Zwei snoozing in his bed in the corner.

Weiss took off her shoes and left them by the top of the stairs, and Ruby left her sneakers next to them before guiding her into the kitchen.

"So do you want something to drink?"

"Water would be lovely."

"Got it!"

As Ruby headed off to pour a glass of water for Weiss and milk for herself, Weiss retreated to the living room and sat on the couch. Ruby returned to her a moment later, and they took a moment to enjoy their drinks before Ruby couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer. She sat down right next to Weiss, and the excitement wafting off of her was palpable. It only served to add to Weiss' own, and she felt her heart begin to backflip.

"So!" Ruby said, grabbing Weiss' hand. "If it's not something bad that happened, it must be something good! So tell me! Are you guys moving somewhere bigger? Yang and I'll be sad if you leave town though-"

"We aren't moving, Ruby."

"Oh, thank god. Okay then, what else could you-" She suddenly cut off with a massive gasp. "O-Oh my god! Weiss, a-are you pregnant?!"

"Wh- Of course not, you dolt!" Weiss lightly swatted Ruby away. "That isn't how pregnancy works!"

"W-Well I dunno, there's all this modern technology these days..."

"I'm not pregnant, Ruby. Neither is Blake," she added, sensing the follow-up question. With that out of the way, Ruby seemed to take her excitement down a notch.

"Okay. Phew, I'm getting all worked up."

"I've noticed. Now why don't you stop blabbering and let me tell you the actual reason why I'm here?"

"Yeah, that sounds good!" Ruby gave a grin, and in contrast Weiss rolled her eyes.

But now that she had the floor she felt the heat rush to her cheeks once again. Her posture was almost painfully straight and her hands started fidgeting in her lap. Ruby tilted her head like a confused puppy and sidled in close.

"Weiss...?"

Weiss drew in a tight breath, and when she let it out it was choppy.

"Ruby... I'd wanted to ask for your assistance... in deciding on a ring..."

Once the words were out they were met with silence. Weiss stared at her hands, breathing manually as she tried to assess Ruby's reaction with a flick of her eyes. She looked shocked, which was to be expected, considering-

"Ring?" Ruby parroted. "Well, I mean you've always worn earring and necklaces, but I've never seen you wear any rings before."

Weiss almost fell off the couch. She rounded on her friend instantly.

"Not that kind of ring, you dolt! And not for myself! I need you to help me decide on an _engagement ring!_ For _Blake!_ "

Now that Weiss had spelled it out for her, Ruby's eyes doubled in size. Her jaw dropped and she leaned back, almost swaying.

"W...Whaaaat?! Ohmygosh, a-an _engagement ring?!_ For _Blake?_ Y-You guys are gonna get-"

"Hush, now!" Weiss slapped a hand over Ruby's mouth. "Do you want your entire complex to know?"

Ruby struggled against her grip until she'd wriggled free. But the second she did, she just threw her arms around Weiss so fervently she ended up bowling her over onto the couch.

"Weiss! Oh my god! You're gonna propose to her?! Oh my goooosh!"

Ruby laughed and squeezed her tightly, nuzzling into Weiss' shoulder as she pinned her down against the couch. Weiss wheezed beneath her weight, meekly patting Ruby's back.

"That... is the plan... and I was hoping I could... discuss some things with you..."

"With me?!"

"Of course. That's why I just told you about it."

"Oh, right!"

Weiss sat up again, lightly pushing Ruby off herself as she readjusted her clothes and tried to regain her composure.

But Ruby's giggles and squeals and the reality of what she'd just revealed made Weiss' cheeks heavily pink. Weiss put a hand to her mouth and cleared her throat. But before she could go on, Ruby was clinging to her arm and babbling away.

"Oh my gosh, Weiss this is _soooo_ exciting! I can't believe you're gonna-"

"I told you to keep quiet!" Weiss covered Ruby's mouth this time. "Now can you _please_ be quiet and hear me out just for ten seconds?"

Ruby nodded with almost comical speed, pursing her lips as Weiss withdrew her hand with a sigh.

"I plan to... purchase the ring from within the Schnee jewelry line. Being I've worked in the business for so long, I know the best of the best diamonds the world has to offer. Naturally, I plan to buy her the highest quality stone available, regardless of the price. I've been setting money aside for quite some time now, and I finally have enough."

She paused to let it all sink in. She'd thought through this a million times already, but this was the first time she was saying any of it out loud. Ruby took her silence as a cue to jump in.

"That's so Weiss-like of you! Getting her the most expensive ring on the market! But you know... I don't think Blake would care about getting the best ring in the world. She'd just be happy it came from you proposing to her!"

Ruby's innocent smile was contagious. Weiss felt her lips curving as she draped an arm across her friend's shoulders and pulled her in.

"I know that. I guess this is more of my being selfish, then. I want to get her the best ring possible. I want her to know that money isn't an issue, that I value her more than anything else, and that I love her with all my heart..." She let out another breath, feeling her heart begin to race again. "And besides... I know I can afford to do this, so why shouldn't I spoil her if I can?"

"Aww, Weiss!" Ruby hugged her friend tightly once again, wiggling in her seat. "Blake's so lucky to have you! You're so thoughtful!"

"Hush, now," she muttered, feeling the blush deepen. "Now I'd like to ask you about your opinion on... how exactly I should do it."

"You mean how you should propose to her?"

"Precisely."

"Hmm... Well I feel there are so many different ways you could do it! You could take her out to eat one evening and have the waiter hide the ring in her tuna!"

"Absolutely not! You did hear me just now, didn't you? I'm going to be paying a hefty load for this ring. No way am I going to put it in any food. Besides, that's dangerous! Blake could choke!"

"Ah, okay okay, calm down! Okay no food then. Um let's see... You could surprise her at work! Like you can take off one Friday afternoon and show up at the library and surprise her! And then as you're about to take her home you just get down on one knee and propose right there!"

Weiss imagined the scenario as Ruby explained it, and a smile spread across her face. But then she quickly realized a few things about it.

"That sounds very nice. However I'm not sure I'd like to do it in a library. And in front of so many people... I think I'd rather keep it a little more private. And yet, I want it to be something more romantic than simply proposing to her in our kitchen or our bedroom..."

"Yeah, I get it..."

Both girls fell silent once again as they mulled things over, trying to think of something that would meet Weiss' criteria. They pondered for a moment, quite literally putting their heads together as they leaned against one another and thought...

And then-

"Oh!"

The sudden gasp from Ruby startled Weiss so much she nearly choked on her own breath.

"W-What is it?"

Ruby turned to her friend with excitement brimming in her eyes.

"Weiss, I've got it!"

"Yes, I could infer as much. So tell me!"

"Okay okay! So you know about the little carnival that comes to town every summer? Well it's coming again soon for a week! So why don't you propose to her then?"

Weiss gave her a puzzled tilt of the head.

"Ruby, didn't you hear me? I'd rather not cause a scene... I want it to be more private between Blake and I. I don't need strangers whooping and hollering at us..."

"Wait, lemme finish!" Ruby shook Weiss' shoulder. "Not in front of everyone on the fairgrounds! After you go through the carnival all evening take her on one last ride; the ferris wheel!"

When she finally revealed her idea, Weiss fell silent. She began to imagine the scenario as Ruby was painting it for her.

"You ask her to take the ferris wheel, and then you go around a few times together. It'll be at the end of the day with the sunset and it'll be super romantic! And then you wait until it gets to the top and that's when you surprise her with the ring! So this way it's more romantic than just doing it in your apartment, but it's also still private!"

Weiss had to admit she was impressed. Ruby hadn't always been one to demonstrate exceptional thinking skills, but there was a reason she'd been able to skip grades and end up in the same college year as Weiss and the others. Weiss was already smiling as she thought it all through.

"That... That actually sounds perfect, Ruby."

"See? Ohhhh my gosh, you're gonna propose to Blake!"

Ruby was too excited to hold back, so she ended up tackling Weiss onto the couch once again.

And Weiss didn't pry her off this time. She simply lie there beneath Ruby, wearing a blush and a smile.

They both relished the moment for as long as they could before Weiss started thinking about other details. When they sat up again, she asked Ruby the specific dates the carnival would be in town, and then got to fretting about the weather.

But it was still too far in advanced to predict if it might rain on the night Weiss had in mind. She opted not to worry about that particular detail for now, because she had a million other things to worry about instead. Like the matter of what exactly she was going to say to Blake on that eventful evening.

"I feel I should prepare and memorize a script," she said. "I could start on it tomorrow-"

"Weiss, Weiss, hold up!" Ruby grabbed her friend's shoulders and had Weiss look at her. "I know that's kinda how you work, but I think maybe for this you don't need to memorize a script. Just tell Blake everything that's on your mind at the time.

"Knowing you, you'll still find a way to make it sensible! But if you just go making a big script and stuff, you'll be so nervous the evening of the carnival you'll end up forgetting it all and it'll only stress you out even more."

Weiss tried to think about this objectively, and when she did she realized Ruby was right. She exhaled another long breath.

"Very well. I'll abstain. Though I fear whatever I end up saying to her might be... less than intelligible..."

"That won't matter to Blake!" Ruby assured her. "She'll just be so happy when she realizes you're proposing."

"Goodness," Weiss mumbled, putting a hand to her chest. "We really need to stop saying it out loud..."

"Aw, Weiss, you're so cute when you're nervous!"

"Quit it, you dolt."

"Heehee~"

The two of them bantered playfully back and forth in between planning things out for the proposal as best they could manage this far in advance. A lot of the conversation ended up being Weiss fretting about every little thing and Ruby offering reassurance. For once, Ruby was the sound one offering realistic advice, and Weiss was the one over-reacting.

And Weiss was very grateful for Ruby's support. Which was why she made sure to pull her into one last big hug as she was getting ready to leave an hour later. Ruby happily squeezed Weiss in return, sighing into her shoulder.

"I can't believe this is happening~!"

"Neither can I. And Ruby, I swear, if you tell anyone, even Yang-"

"I won't! I promise! I swear!" To prove it Ruby quickly grabbed Weiss' hand and locked their fingers into a pinkie promise. Weiss knew she'd never break a pact like that, and so she sighed in relief.

"Good. And I trust I can... contact you about things relating to this matter...?"

"Of course! Any time, anywhere! I'll do whatever I can to help, Weiss! Even if you just need to talk off the nerves and stuff!"

Just hearing her say that made Weiss' heart relax just a little. She pulled Ruby in again and held her there.

"Thank you, Ruby."

"You're super-duper welcome!"

At last the two friends parted and Weiss headed out the door. All the car ride home she had to admit she felt immensely better now that she'd shared her secret and discussed things with Ruby.

But she wasn't about to relax anytime soon. She planned to look into purchasing a ring as early as the next few days. But after spending the whole day at work and now the evening at Ruby's, Weiss was beginning to miss Blake terribly.

So she drove home as quickly as possible within legal limits and hurried up the steps to the apartment. She fumbled for her keys, but to her surprise she didn't even get to bring them to the lock before the doorknob was already turning. Blake opened the door for her just in time, and Weiss gasped in delight.

"Blake!"

"Weiss!"

Without a word they threw their arms around one another and squeezed tightly. Blake gradually stepped back and coaxed Weiss inside, then shut the door behind her.

The two girls cupped each other's faces and smiled before coming together for a long sweet kiss. Weiss' heart was thumping a mile a minute for so many different reasons, but more than nervousness now she was just so happy to be home with Blake once again.

Blake's ears flicked as she picked up on Weiss' energy, sensing that she had been just as anxious to be away from Blake as Blake had been being away from her.

After a moment the two girls parted from the kiss, if only to bury themselves more deeply into the embrace. They sighed in unison, just glad to have each other back.

Blake covered Weiss as much as she could, trying to warm her up from the evening chill. Her Faunus ears kept flicking as they picked up on Weiss' emotions, and she could tell Weiss was a little flustered about something. Blake conjured up a purr for her and rubbed soothing circles over her back.

"How was it staying late? Are you okay?"

"Yes, fine," she sighed. "I'm just... glad to be home."

"Glad to have you back." Blake kissed her girlfriend's temple.

Weiss reached one hand up the cradle the back of her girlfriend's head, stroking her ears gently.

"Did you miss me that much?" she chuckled. "I was only gone for a few extra hours, Blake."

"I know. But I can't help it..."

Weiss heard the slight pout in her voice and relented.

"Sorry to tease. I missed you terribly as well."

"I can tell."

They kissed each other's cheeks and lips once again. Then Blake began helping Weiss remove her coat.

"Come on. I started dinner."

From there it was just another typical evening in the apartment, only Weiss' mind was jumbled again with thoughts of what she planned to do in the coming weeks.

When Blake asked her about the supposed meeting she'd stayed late for tonight, Weiss just made up a story and avoided going into detail. When she asked about Blake's evening here alone, Blake seemed to do the same thing. They didn't want to remember the times they'd spent without each other. They just wanted to enjoy the here and now.

After dinner they showered, tidied up, and got ready for bed, and were all too happy to flop down on the mattress together. Several more moments were spent sharing kisses and cuddles before the two girls drifted off to sleep together.

* * *

Asking Blake's parents for her hand had been one thing. But Weiss knew that explaining things to her own father would prove to be another entirely.

Their families were on friendly terms now and had been for several years since Blake and Weiss had started dating. But it wasn't the fear that her father didn't approve of Blake or anything like that. Luckily, Weiss' dilemma wasn't anything so serious. But still-

"Anything you want, dear. Just say the word and it's yours."

Weiss stood in the jewelry store with her father a little after closing time that evening. She'd somehow mustered up the courage to tell him she planned to propose to Blake soon and needed a ring. And he'd been just as enthused about helping her select a stone as he had been to hear about the imminent proposal.

"As you know," he was saying. "We have all the finest diamonds available here, and if they're not in-stock I can put out an order as soon as tomorrow."

"I know, Father. But there's no need for that. I've already decided on which one I'd like."

"Do tell."

Weiss inclined her head and invited him to follow. She led him across the store to a particular display case where some of their most expensive jewels were sparkling. They were all different stones and colors; emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and then the typical silver diamonds.

But Weiss pointed out the only one of the bunch that was a unique color. It was a very deep purple, so deep it was tinted almost black. A very rare and precious gem indeed.

Until now, Weiss herself had entertained many patrons who seemed interested, but all had ultimately turned away due to the price. When Weiss' father saw which stone she was pointing out, he grimaced.

"Well... I'd expect nothing less from you, being as you are my daughter. You have impeccable taste in diamonds. Though I'm sorry to say that is a jewel I cannot simply give to you. However, I can give you a discount on it for sure."

"That's all right, Father. I don't want a discount."

This was where she knew the difficult part would come in. Sure enough, her father stiffened.

"Weiss, darling. I couldn't possibly allow you to pay off a sum like that in full."

"It's all right. I've been saving up for a long time. It wasn't always for a ring, but I knew I'd have to save for something big eventually. And so I want it to be this."

Her father's brow furrowed a bit.

"Then I can at least help you pay off a fraction of it. Think of it as an advance on your birthday present this year."

"Father." Weiss took his hand and squeezed gently. "Please. I appreciate it. I really do. But you don't have to help me pay for it. I want to do this on my own. With the money I've worked for. It wouldn't feel right to get it for a discount just because I'm your daughter."

She said it with every ounce of confidence she'd ever learned, her eyes calm and prideful. Her father frowned and ran a hand through his hair.

"Weiss, are you sure about this?"

"Positive. I can pay for it immediately."

He let out a long sigh, but eventually nodded.

"Very well then."

Weiss waited patiently as her father went back to fetch the key to open the display case. She had checked and double-checked her bank account in comparison to the price of the ring and knew she could sign that check with confidence and still have a bit to spare for the everyday expenses. She'd just need to cut back on personal shopping for a while, but it was an easy sacrifice.

Her father returned and opened the case, carefully removing the black diamond ring. At the very least he insisted to give Weiss a box for free, and she allowed herself to agree to that.

She selected a simple black velvet box and watched her father place the ring inside the padding. He closed the box and brought it to the counter, where Weiss had her check ready. It almost seemed to pain him to accept it, but Weiss handed it over with pride.

She picked up the little black box instead and secured it within a deep inside pocket of her purse for now. With that, she thanked her father one more time, scurrying around the counter to hug him before she hurried out of the store to head home to Blake.

It was the third evening within the past month that Weiss came home trembling from a mix of excitement and nervousness. And of course Blake was hugging her instantly and checking to make sure she was all right. Weiss assured her a thousand times over, attributing her condition to an impressive sale she'd made today.

They made and enjoyed their supper together, and when they were finished Weiss offered to clean dishes. Which was an invitation for Blake to shower first.

As soon as her girlfriend was in the bathroom and the water was running, Weiss hurried over to her purse and dug out the black box. She opened it just for a moment to admire the beautiful ring inside, then closed it once again.

She knew exactly where she would keep it. She and Blake often did each other's laundry, so keeping it in her drawer was out of the question. Instead, Weiss hurried into the bedroom and made for the bookshelf.

Behind all of the books they owned, Weiss had concealed a fake book with a hollow inside. She had hidden it behind several other books, ones she knew Blake had read recently and wouldn't be removing again anytime soon.

Now, Weiss opened the hollowed-out book and placed the little box inside. She closed the cover, and to anyone else it would just look like any other book. She took great care in hiding it again, making sure the books she put in front of it didn't jut out differently than any of the others.

It was a simple tactic of hiding the ring in plain sight, yet with a bit more cover just to be safe.

Weiss stepped back a few paces and looked over the shelf, trying to see if she would recognize any differences if she were Blake. When she was satisfied with her work, she returned to the kitchen to take care of the dishes.

Blake emerged from the shower a short while later, and Weiss brought her to the living room to dry and brush her hair for her. Blake purred all the while, leaning back against her girlfriend's chest in total bliss. Weiss put the brush aside and hugged her around the stomach.

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Mmm, you know I did..." Blake opened her eyes slightly and turned her face to look back at her. "You should take your shower now and I'll do your hair for you too."

Weiss tensed up just a little bit at the notion of showering now. Her mind immediately started to jumble with thoughts of Blake just so happening to check the bookshelf now and discover the hidden ring. But Weiss shook her head sharply, knowing she was only worrying herself for nothing.

"All right."

She left Blake on the couch and went to collect her sleepwear before heading to the bathroom. And Weiss couldn't help but rush through it a little, just to be certain.

But when she came back out in her warm nightgown, she found Blake in the bedroom reading like always. It was clear she hadn't magically discovered the ring just because it was in the apartment now.

Relieved, Weiss sauntered into the room and sat on the bed with her, and Blake got to brushing her hair for her. Weiss did her best to relax as much as she could, reminding herself not to give anything away. Everything had to remain normal, like any other day. The carnival was in a few weeks, and until then she just had to act as she always did.

For now, she closed her eyes and focused on Blake's fingers combing through her hair after the brush was pulled through, her nails scratching pleasantly along Weiss' back.

Before long, Weiss was slumping back into her arms and cuddling up against her chest. Blake kissed her cheek and helped her lie down, pulling the blankets up over the both of them before wrapping Weiss in her arms.

Weiss kissed her sleepily and murmured that she loved her. Blake purred and did the same.

And just like any other night, they drifted off to sleep together.

* * *

 **A/N: Now Ruby knows and Weiss has a plan! Hopefully things will work out!**

 **Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**This story is probably one of my least viewed/reviewed in recent times, and I'm not sure if it's because RWBY is 'old news' or people don't read my stuff anymore or what, but I'm so thankful to the few people who are reading and reviewing! I still enjoy writing RWBY romances as much as I did on day one so many years ago~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3.

It was the very next day when Weiss began to hear people around town talk about the carnival. The posters promoting it and telling the dates for it had been up on the telephone polls for a little while already, but now they were drawing close enough that people actually started to get excited in anticipation.

When it was only a week away, Weiss knew she should pose a casual invitation to Blake, wanting to go with her on the coming Saturday afternoon.

But to her surprise, Blake actually ended up posing the idea first at dinner one night.

"Say, Weiss?"

"Yes?"

"What would you say about going to the carnival this weekend? We've both been so busy this week, I feel we deserve a little fun."

Weiss smiled, heart racing in excitement.

"That sounds very nice. I would love to."

And so their date was set for Saturday.

And as Weiss went to work every day that week, she was painfully aware of the fact that each day was passing by almost more quickly than she was ready for.

At first it was only five days away. Then four. Then three...

On Thursday she was almost so nervous and enthralled about the coming weekend that she nearly made herself sick on her lunch break.

But at the very least she had a few people she could confide in. Whenever her father was around at the store and she had a moment, she would talk to him, and when he wasn't available or when Weiss was back at the apartment, she would text Ruby. If Blake went to shower, Weiss would call her friend so she could gush out loud. Ruby always did her best to support Weiss and ensure she didn't get cold feet.

Then there was also the stress of fretting about the ring. Every time Blake so much as walked past the bookshelf where Weiss had hidden it, she tensed up, almost expecting Blake to randomly and miraculously pull out the books to reveal her knowledge of the hollowed-out one.

Of course that never happened, but that didn't stop Weiss' mind from worrying about it to the point that it gave her dreams she often confused with reality.

She had a lot of wonderfully terrifying dreams that week. Dreams about Blake finding the ring early, dreams about the proposal. Sometimes it went perfectly right and sometimes it went horribly wrong. Sometimes the ferris wheel got stuck. Sometimes Blake didn't answer. Sometimes she said no.

Whenever Weiss woke from one of those she found herself nearly in tears until she turned over to realize Blake was snoozing comfortably beside her.

Even so, the hyperactivity of Weiss' mind didn't do her much good in the final few days before the carnival date. It was all she could do to keep herself from acting so oddly that Blake took note of it.

That Thursday evening as they sat on their little couch and watched TV together, Weiss was entirely distracted. Whenever Blake commented on the program or asked Weiss' opinion on it, Weiss would give non-committal responses or admit that she hadn't been paying attention. After the fifth time, Blake started getting worried.

"Weiss, are you okay? Maybe we should go to bed."

And Weiss was admittedly thankful for the offer.

"Yes, let's. I don't know what's gotten into me today."

"That's all right. It's been another long week."

Blake stood up and stretched before turning off the TV. Weiss was just about to get up as well when Blake turned back to her and held up a hand for pause. Instead, she scooped Weiss up into her arms, earning a squeal of delight as she carried her girlfriend into the bedroom.

Blake all but flopped down on top of Weiss and began peppering kisses all over her, tickling her a little here and there. Weiss allowed herself to forget about everything else and just enjoyed the moment, playfully swatting at Blake and making feeble attempts at retaliation.

By the time their little scuffle was over, both girls where exhausted enough to lay down for bed in each other's arms. Blake was purring full-force as Weiss cuddled into her collar, resting her ear over Blake's pulse.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

They closed their eyes and invited sleep.

But with the big day only two days away now, Weiss was hardly surprised that she wasn't able to fall asleep. In spite of her exhaustion from the workday and her elation at begin snug in Blake's arms, her mind simply couldn't settle down.

She'd lost count of how many times she'd thought over and imagined the scene of her proposal, over and over and over again. She'd imagined just about every good and bad thing that could possibly happen, and then some that were just downright impossible as well.

Try as she may, she simply couldn't calm down her thoughts, and she ended up reopening her eyes several times in frustration to glare up at the ceiling.

But to her surprise Blake nudged her, and when Weiss looked to her she found her girlfriend hadn't been able to fall asleep either. Blake's golden eyes were wide awake in the darkness.

"You too, huh?"

Weiss nodded. "Unfortunately." She moved in closer to kiss Blake. She earned the beginnings of another purr in response.

"Well I don't mind just laying here with you. Even if we can't sleep."

"I don't mind either."

Weiss looped her arms around Blake's neck and cradled the back of her head. Blake hugged her back and shoulders and pulled Weiss on top of her chest, bumping their noses together. Weiss chuckled softly and nuzzled back, trailing tiny kisses along Blake's temples and forehead. Blake kissed her back whenever she could.

They played with each other's hair, quietly kissing and relishing the tranquil midnight moments. It just went to show that even on sleepless nights they were still able to help each other relax in other ways.

Weiss kissed Blake's eyelids closed, coaxing her to at least rest her eyes. And Blake mapped patterns all across Weiss' back, rubbing her palms in slow little circles.

For several hours the two of them merely managed a few consecutive moments of sleep here and there. Only when it was nearly 4 in the morning did both of them actually fall asleep for longer than an hour. And of course they had to wake up just a few hours later.

It was a very slow, quiet morning as they went about their regular routine of getting ready for the day ahead. Being they were both running on so few hours of sleep, they kept conversations to a tired minimum. But the morning wasn't without little brushes of cheeks and lips here and there, quiet displays of affection.

Weiss reminded herself this was the last full day before she'd propose. And yet, in spite of that knowledge, she felt oddly calm. Perhaps it was because she'd finally grown accustomed to the idea. But more than that she believed it was just because she was too tired to be able to feel the nervousness.

Nonetheless, the two of them shared a long sweet kiss as always before they parted ways for work that morning.

Weiss was expecting the nerves to hit her all at once at a random hour of the day. But to her pleasant surprise the crashing wave of panic never reached her. She dealt with her customers as per usual, noticing with a bit of a smirk that some of the regulars who came in had noticed the absence of the black diamond.

It was on her lunch break when Winter called her. Weiss had mentioned to her about the intended date of the proposal as well, so her elder sister called to check and see how she was doing today, about twenty-four hours before the big moment itself occurred.

Weiss reassured her sister, thanked her for calling, and then barely got in a bite of her salad before her phone was buzzing once again. It was Ruby this time, blabbering a mile a minute as she asked Weiss a million and one questions about how she was doing, how Blake was doing, if she still intended to propose tomorrow, if it was all right if she and Yang came to the carnival with them, and so on.

Weiss pacified her friend with contrasting calmness, which still came as a surprise to Weiss herself, but she wasn't about to question her own composure in the face of this life-changing event. After reassuring Ruby about everything, Weiss sent out her usual lunchtime text to Blake, wishing her a good rest of her day.

Then, Weiss finished her food and returned to work for the remainder of the day.

By whatever miraculous forces in the universe, Weiss didn't lose focus or stutter even once that day, and before she knew it she was turning the Open sign on the front door around to Closed. Her father emerged from his office to help her close shop as per usual, but didn't let her leave without a hug.

"Best of luck tomorrow, dear. You know we'll all be on the edge of our seats to know what happens, so let us know as soon as you can."

"I will, Father. And tell Whitley not to be too much of a stick-in-the-mud about it."

"He's warming up to Blake gradually."

"I know." She gave her father a kiss on the cheek before heading for the doors.

Despite her lack of proper sleep last night, Weiss hadn't begun to feel the effects of it until the drive back home. She took her time, playing lively music and reminding herself that Blake was waiting for her.

By the time she parked in her usual spot next to Blake's car at the apartment complex, she was a little later than usual.

Evidently, her lateness had worried her girlfriend, because when Weiss turned off the car and checked her phone she had three new messages from Blake. Weiss' heart swelled with emotion as she hurried out of the car and up to the apartment to reassure her girlfriend face to face. The door was unlocked and she pushed right in.

"Blake? I'm home."

There was a bit of movement from upstairs, followed by a familiar voice.

"Weiss?"

As Weiss began making her way up the steps, Blake hurried around the railing and rushed down to meet her halfway, reaching down to grab her hands.

"Thank goodness. I was getting worried..."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay."

Blake carefully guided her up the rest of the steps until Weiss was standing on the same level as she was. They came together immediately in a firm kiss and warm embrace. Blake's ears perked and swiveled happily now that Weiss was in her arms again. When the kiss ended, Weiss simply cuddled into her girlfriend's shoulder for a moment, hugging her back softly.

"Another week finished," she sighed, trying to make it sound like any other week. Not the final week they'd be calling each other girlfriends instead of fiancees. "I'm looking forward to that carnival tomorrow evening."

"Me, too. I think it'll be a nice change of pace. Now then, care to join me for dinner?"

"I would love to."

And the evening commenced as any other, with both girls helping one another cook, clean, and take care of other little chores. The nerves didn't come back to haunt Weiss at dinner, nor during their relaxation time on the couch watching movies afterward.

She knew it was only dormant for the time being, and that by tomorrow it would erupt full-force. But for now she enjoyed the lack of nervousness and over-thinking, and merely enjoyed her time with Blake to the fullest.

They cuddled up on the couch together beneath a shared blanket, leaning against each other as their hands stroked lazy patterns across backs.

Only then did they begin to feel the effects of not being able to get much sleep last night. Blake kept yawning, and Weiss could barely keep her eyes open enough to focus on whatever movie was playing.

It was only 9PM when they both decided to call it a night early. Blake shut off the TV and left the apartment in darkness, save for a small nightlight glowing faintly in the bathroom and patches of moonlight coming in through the curtains.

And there was a unanimous agreement not to bother fumbling their way into the bedroom. The couch was large enough for them both to sleep on, and it had been a while since they'd done so.

There was a bit of fussing with the blanket as they laid themselves down together, yawning and sighing at the promise of some well-deserved sleep. They laid on their sides facing one another initially.

Blake brushed the backs of her fingers through Weiss' bangs, planting little kisses on her forehead and her scarred cheek. When it was her turn to reciprocate, Weiss gently pet and kissed her Faunus ears. The nightly rumble of a purr filled Weiss' entire body as she pressed close, nuzzling into Blake's collar.

For a while she listened to her girlfriend's pulse, a sound she'd committed to memory years ago. It was so soothing to her, especially when it was accompanied by the steady purr threaded around her breathing.

It was truly a blessing that she had gotten to fall asleep with Blake like this for the past few years. And with any luck, after tomorrow, it would be confirmed that they could continue doing so for the rest of their lives.

She got giddy at the thought of it and looped her arms around Blake's back, then slowly eased her girlfriend on top of herself. Blake's purr paused in surprise as she was shifted, but then evened out again as she settled her weight on top. She dipped her head to kiss Weiss' lips, and Weiss cradled the back of her head with care, rubbing her thumb over each Faunus ear in turn. They parted with a happy sigh for the night.

"Goodnight."

"Sweet dreams."

Blake rested her head on Weiss' chest and closed her eyes, taking in the soothing sound of her heartbeat. Weiss let Blake's purr lull her to sleep in spite of her heightened excitement for tomorrow.

Tomorrow night at this time, Weiss wouldn't be falling asleep with just her girlfriend. She'd be falling asleep with her fiancee.

By some miracle, she actually managed to get some sleep that night.

* * *

The next time Weiss woke there was sunlight filtering through the living room curtains. Blake was still limp on top of her with her head turned to one side so when Weiss looked down all she saw was black hair and fur.

Weiss drew in a deep breath in preparation to steel herself for what lie ahead today. The eustress was so great she almost felt like she was going to be nauseous in a good way, if that were even possible.

But she kept everything in check for the moment and simply let her hands roam along Blake's back and shoulders, caressing her hair and her cheek and her ears. She closed her eyes, trying to envision the evening, imagine what it would be like when she finally got down on one knee for Blake...

She felt it for herself when her heart rate nearly doubled in only a few seconds, and before she could try to calm herself down Blake shifted on top of her. Roused by the change in Weiss' pulse, she lifted her face and blinked bleary golden eyes up at her.

"You okay?"

Weiss strained up to kiss her cheek.

"Yes, fine. Good morning."

"Morning."

They shared a few lazy morning kisses, rolling themselves over on the limited space of the couch and hugging each other close, petting and pampering.

They enjoyed themselves until stomachs started growling, and the two girls eventually got up and stretched before heading to the kitchen to start on breakfast. They'd slept in a bit, as was natural for them to do on Saturdays, so their breakfast was more like lunch.

After cleaning up and doing chores, Weiss made sure to shower so she would be as prepared as possible for the proposal. She changed into a very nice outfit for their date, a blue sundress with a soft downy white bolero, accented with the usual sapphire jewelry. She left her hair down for now to dry before stepping out, earning a surprised hum from Blake.

"Wow. You're really going all-out for this carnival."

Weiss quickly scrambled for an excuse.

"It's because it's only once a year. It's a special occasion."

"You're right. I should wear something nice, too."

Blake retreated to their bedroom and went through her closet, selecting purple leggings, black shorts and a checkered shirt that was both colors combined. She took her turn in the bathroom, kissing Weiss' cheek as she passed her on the way there.

Weiss waited for the door to close and the water to start before she scurried into the bedroom. She was shaking as she reached for the books on the shelf that hid the ring, half-expecting it to be gone when she opened the hollowed-out tome.

But the little black velvet box was right there as she'd left it. Just to be safe, she opened it to check on the ring, which was also present.

She replaced the books so nothing was out of place, then turned around to let the diamond catch in the sunlight. When it reflected the light like this, it shimmered faintly purple. Considering what Blake would be wearing this evening, Weiss couldn't help but squeal softly at the thought of how perfectly the ring would match.

She only mused for a few minutes before she located her little purse and slipped the box into the secret inside pocket.

After that, she simply cleaned up the bedroom a bit more to give herself something to do as she waited for Blake.

The shower water stopped and Weiss retreated to the living room with her purse, checking one last time to make sure the box was in the pocket and the ring was in the box.

By then her hair was dry, and Weiss tied only a small ponytail in the back, letting the rest of it fall freely. She'd just stepped into her blue dress shoes when the bathroom door opened and Blake emerged in her very fitting outfit.

Weiss scurried over to help run the towel through her hair, padding it dry gently and fluffing it up a bit. She brushed through it until her girlfriend was satisfied. Blake thanked her with another kiss.

As Blake got her boots on, Weiss dug out her cell phone and texted Ruby. Yang was going to be driving to their apartment to pick them up, and the four of them would go to the carnival together to enjoy themselves.

Once Yang and Ruby were on their way, Blake and Weiss headed down the stairs, locked up the apartment, and headed outside hand-in-hand.

It wasn't long before the familiar yellow Porsche pulled into the parking lot. Ruby was in the passenger's seat, so Blake and Weiss took the back seats together.

It was about a five-minute drive to the site of the carnival, which was already bustling with people. The local high school was being used for the fairgrounds, the football field and track now supporting large colorful rides with flashing lights and dozens of food stands. There was screeching and laughing and general chatter filling the air as Yang let the car roll around the parking lot until a spot cleared up.

From there the four of them headed onto a short line, paid a small entrance fee, and got the backs of their hands stamped so they could enjoy the festivities.

Weiss couldn't remember the last time she'd been to an event like this, probably not since she was very young. It was thrilling just to be around so much activity and noise and motion, even without the added pressure in the back of her mind.

She held onto Blake's hand with her right, and with her left ensured that her purse was constantly secure around her shoulder. The last thing she needed was to try and propose only to find she'd dropped the ring. Even just thinking about it made her stomach heave a little, and Weiss forced the thoughts away as she followed the others inside.

There were all sorts of rides here; ones that temporarily suspended gravity, ones that rolled and flipped, ones that spun and launched and bounced and jumped. Mini roller coasters, car races, spinning chairs...

But ultimately, Weiss' eyes came to rest on one ride in particular. The one that towered above the others, the tall ferris wheel decorated with various flashing lights.

Just thinking about what she planned to do later while on that very ride made her knees tremble and made her clutch at her purse tighter. Evidently she must've also started clinging more tightly to Blake's hand as well, because the Faunus girl turned to her with concern in her eyes.

"Weiss? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yes, fine."

"We don't have to go on any of the rides if you don't want to."

"Nonsense. We're at a carnival, aren't we?"

"Yeah!" Ruby cut in, jumping up and down in her glee. "You've gotta go on at _least_ one ride, Weiss!" There was a bit of a knowing spark in her eyes. Weiss was thankful at least to have Ruby on her side, knowing what she planned to do tonight.

"I will, didn't you hear me, you dolt?" Weiss ruffled her friend's head. Ruby giggled before turning to Yang.

"Okay so which one do you wanna do first?"

"Hmm, good question..." Yang surveyed the area until she made a decision. "How about that one?" She pointed to one with a dozen chairs that spun and moved up and down at the same time. Both Blake and Weiss grimaced a little, but Ruby perked up right away.

"Yeah, yeah! Let's do it! First one to barf tonight loses!"

"You're on!"

The sisters clearly had their own agenda this evening, and it allowed for Blake and Weiss to have some time alone as well. They agreed to meet up again at sunset.

"At the ferris wheel," Ruby said casually. "Cuz we can see it no matter where we are. It'll be the easiest place to meet up."

Even though she'd perfectly justified her choice in location to meet up, it still had Weiss' heart jumping. But she kept her cool and simply agreed to the suggestion, though she didn't miss the little wink Ruby sent her way.

And so the sisters took off through the crowds with cries of "race ya!" and "hey!" to no doubt enjoy a high-speed action-packed evening.

On the other hand, Blake and Weiss set off at a comfortable saunter in the opposite direction.

The sun was still a few hours away from setting, so Weiss tried not to worry herself just yet. It had been a long time since she'd had a proper date with Blake, especially one that wasn't just back at the apartment or at a little cafe for brunch. She wanted them both to enjoy this to the fullest.

"So," she said, clearing her throat. "Are there any rides you particularly want to go on?"

Blake looked around for a moment, her ears swiveling at all the noise.

"Not really. I mean, I know that's kind of what a carnival is about but-"

"That's fine," Weiss said. "We can play a few games."

"That sounds good."

Weiss was a bit relieved Blake wasn't in the mood for rides either. Not only was she herself just not very good with them, but she knew she'd be constantly fretting about the little box in her purse slipping out if it was jostled too much.

So the couple headed for the little game booths where various colorful stuffed animals were on display as prizes.

They first tried their hand at water guns, then at balloon dart tosses, and then at games of chance and probability. Blake succeeded in the former two and Weiss in the latter.

They collected an assortment of little prizes for one another along the way. Weiss won Blake a stuffed black cartoon-looking cat, and Blake won Weiss a rather nice little jewelry set.

Once they'd finished that game, Blake led her girlfriend over to a bench and invited Weiss to sit. She first went around the bench to stand behind her and fastened the silver heart-shaped necklace at the nape of her neck. The little heart fell a perfect inch lower than the sapphire necklace Weiss was already wearing, making for a pleasant display on her collar.

Weiss glanced down to admire it before she felt Blake's arms wrap lightly around her from behind. Blake leaned forward, letting out a scruffy purr as she rested her chin on Weiss' head. Weiss reached up to hold her forearms, smiling as she leaned back against her.

After a moment, Blake let her go and came around to sit next to her on the bench, where she then put the matching silver bracelet on Weiss' wrist. Weiss thanked her with a sweet little kiss.

Their hands came together in their laps, fingers threading and curling, a quiet moment amongst all the noise. That was when Blake's stomach suddenly growled so loudly it spooked the both of them away from the kiss. As Blake's face flushed red, Weiss started to chuckle.

"Shall we find something to eat?"

"Sure..."

Weiss stood and offered her hand. Blake accepted and kept the stuffed cat in her other.

Together they ventured out in search of a snack. They didn't have to go too far, as every other stand was selling hot dogs or popcorn or ice cream. They opted for a funnel cake and a few bottles of water they could share.

Ultimately they returned with their food to the same bench and enjoyed themselves, pulling off little pieces of the cake and feeding one another.

At one point Blake encouraged Weiss to toss a piece at her to catch in her mouth, but it ended up hitting her between the eyes. Both girls burst out laughing as Weiss picked up a napkin and wiped the crumbs off Blake's forehead.

They finished eating, threw away their garbage, and simply sat together for a while. Weiss leaned into Blake's side and shoulder, and Blake wrapped an arm around her. Weiss hugged her stomach and the little cat plushie in her lap.

They took a rest for a few minutes, winding down after all of the excitement and games. They'd seen Ruby and Yang a few times in-passing, running onto the line for the next ride. But just playing games and walking around had been enough to wear out Weiss and Blake.

But the lively atmosphere was still swirling around them, preventing them from feeling too exhausted just yet.

Besides, there was still one last thing Weiss needed to do.

The lights all around them seemed brighter now that was sun was starting to set, bathing the already-colorful fairgrounds in even warmer hues of yellows and oranges.

The two girls basked in it for a moment. Weiss closed her eyes, willing the sunlight to give her strength to make her offer. She breathed deeply a few times, steeling herself, until she finally straightened up.

"Blake-?"

"Hey, Weiss-?"

Eyes widened as they realized they'd spoken over one another.

"Sorry."

"No, go ahead."

They blushed and chuckled, squeezing each other's hands. Weiss wanted to be sure the ferris wheel was the last thing they did, so she encouraged Blake to make any other suggestions first. But to her surprise, Blake nodded toward the ferris wheel.

"I know you don't like the crazy rides. But what about that one?"

Weiss' heart leapt into her throat, not at fear of the ride itself, but at the implications that the moment she'd been planning for for weeks on end now was truthfully approaching. She felt like she was going to be sick in the best of ways, and she sort of regretted the funnel cake. But she kept herself as composed as humanly possible, and did her best not to let her voice tremble.

"I... I think that would be very nice."

Blake's ears perked up.

"R-Really? Are you sure?"

Weiss turned back to face her and confirmed it with another kiss.

"Yes, I'm quite sure."

"Okay."

They waited one more moment, nuzzling noses together before ultimately taking each other's hands once again.

They headed for the ferris wheel, which was already dyed in the warm colors of the sunset as it made its leisurely rounds. The line was short, but as they were waiting, Weiss dug into her purse for her phone to silence it. The last thing she needed was an unexpected call coming in to ruin the moment as she was trying to propose.

As her hand was in her purse, she checked for the ring box in the hidden pocket, just to confirm it was still there.

In the meantime, Blake had put her little stuffed cat into her blouse's pocket so she could have both hands free to focus on Weiss. She kept ahold of her hand with one and cupped her cheek for a kiss with the other.

The two girls gradually advanced in their place on line, and with every step nearer they took, Weiss felt her heart slamming harder and harder against her ribs. But she did her best not to cling to Blake too tightly, lest the Faunus girl call this off.

Weiss was quiet for a moment as she went over the intangible mental script she'd prepared in advance, going through it in detail as she planned it out exactly.

By then they'd reached the front of the line and it was time to board. The man in charge of the line and ride checked the backs of their hands for stamps, then gladly permitted them entry.

Blake and Weiss walked to their carriage. Thankfully it was the kind that was enclosed with a roof, which would block out most other sounds and give them plenty of privacy.

As they boarded, Weiss was distracted by a million different thoughts and didn't really think about how to sit herself. There were two small benches facing each other, and it would have been ideal for the pose of the proposal if they'd each sat on one side to face each other.

But instead they kept their hands entwined and ended up sitting on the same bench shoulder-to-shoulder. As soon as Weiss realized the issue she cursed herself.

 _Idiot! How am I supposed to do this now?_

Her next dilemma was now figuring out a way to sit on the opposite bench without making Blake wonder why she'd moved. Her mind was a mess and her heart was in turmoil as the ride began to move, but only a little.

For now it just moved a few feet at a time so other passengers could board. Weiss and Blake's carriage climbed higher and higher by the minute with pauses in between, a much slower version of the continuous ride they'd soon experience. It gave Weiss just a little bit of time to think-

"It's so pretty."

Blake's offhand comment snapped Weiss out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Yes it is."

She'd hardly looked out the window at all until now. But when she did she saw the treetops and the roofs of the buildings highlighted in gold and orange, the pink clouds of the evening sky lined with warm summery hues...

She got lost in the sight for a moment and remembered how to breathe.

It was then the ride began to move, bringing them up to the highest point. Weiss used that as her excuse to move seats. She let go of Blake's hand and quickly switched sides, keeping her eyes fixated out the window, implying her only reason for moving was to get a better glimpse of the view outside. Blake didn't seem to mind all that much, as her own gaze was transfixed in much the same manner.

As Weiss settled down on the opposite bench, she took a moment to admire Blake's profile. The setting sunlight made her skin glow a creamy peach color, and it accented the dark curls of her hair with a bit of a purplish lining. Her lips, curved up into an ever-present smile, were softly pink to match the slight blush on her cheeks. And her eyes were deep gold, more precious and valuable than any gem.

Weiss felt her heart swell in such a profound manner it brought tears to her eyes.

Blake Belladonna. The love of her life.

And she was going to propose to her. After all this time.

Since that first day of college when Weiss had transferred in, sitting alone at the lunch table, crying in the bathroom.

To those clumsy first dates, the comfort after the panic attacks, the gradual opening up and sharing of feelings.

To the day they'd moved in together, gotten jobs and started working, living out their dreams of being together...

It all crashed over her at once, and her hand trembled as it reached for the little box inside her purse. She'd already forgotten the speech and whatever words she'd planned on saying. She just had to speak from her heart.

The ride brought them down slowly, then began to ascend once more. Blake was still staring out the window as Weiss subtly pulled the box into her lap, hiding it behind her hand and the creases of her dress. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, trying to keep the tears at bay...

"This is so nice..." Blake's voice served to ease her nerves a little. When Weiss next looked up, Blake was looking at her. But whatever smile she'd been wearing faded and her ears went flat the second she noticed the tears.

"Weiss? What's wrong?" Blake made a move to get up, to switch seats and sit beside her again, prepared to stop the ride. But Weiss quickly put out her free hand to stop her, keeping the other curled around the box concealed behind her knee.

"No... no," Weiss half-chuckled. "It's all right. I just... got a bit overwhelmed... thinking about how beautiful you are, Blake..." She smiled. A little sob slipped free and she had to wipe her eyes.

Blake's tension slowly dissipated as she began to understand.

"Oh... gosh, Weiss... don't do that to me..."

"I'm sorry."

Blake reached over and rested a hand on Weiss' knee for support. Weiss laid her free hand on top, rubbing her thumb gently over the back. Her eyes traveled up to find Blake's once more, shimmering in the sunlight.

"Blake... I love you _so_ _much_..."

Blake turned her hand over beneath Weiss' so they were palm-to-palm.

"I love you, too."

The Faunus girl leaned forward, coaxing Weiss as well. Eyes closed, they came together for a kiss at the top of the ferris wheel just as a warm ray of light slipped in, filling the air with tender warmth.

It was a kiss that made Weiss confident, confident enough that she didn't need to recite the lengthy speech she'd had planned. Because everything she'd ever wanted to tell Blake and more was already being said without words.

The kiss lasted for a long moment, breath quivering on lips as tears dripped down from both girls. Weiss' grip on the ring box tightened, and as they parted from the kiss she let herself slide off the bench, down onto one knee-

"Blake Belladonna-"

"Weiss Schnee-"

A gasp.

A pause.

Weiss' eyes flew open.

She found Blake there before her, also kneeling on the floor of the carriage with a little white box perched in her palm. Blake's eyes were wide in shock as she looked at the same scene of Weiss reflected before her.

Both down on one knee.

Both with a velvet ring box in-hand.

The ferris wheel continued turning, but it felt like time had stopped.

Weiss couldn't believe what she was seeing. When she blinked, she felt two more tears dribble down her cheeks.

After several moments of feeling like her heart was going to burst, it now seemed to stop altogether.

"W... What-"

"You-"

They spoke at the same time, then clammed up to let the other speak, resulting in more stunned silence.

"B-Blake... you-"

"Weiss-"

Again they stopped talking, hands shaking as they came together, clutching onto one another and the little ring boxes balanced on their knees. Weiss shook her head, voice clipped with emotion.

"B-Blake... i-is this-?"

"A proposal...?" Blake finished. "Yeah... I-I mean... I was hoping to surprise you, but..."

"W-Well you did!"

"A-And so did you!"

Again they both fell silent, jaws dropping, hearts stopping.

And then all at once they burst into laughter and threw their arms around each other.

The ring boxes settled into their laps as the two girls pulled each other into a fervent embrace, so tight and happy and joyful it almost hurt, but in the best of ways. Their hearts were racing, pulses rushing through their entire bodies as the adrenaline fluctuated and then drained out all at once.

They sobbed into each other's shoulders, gasping with little giggles of delight and disbelief.

It took Weiss a moment to actually comprehend what was happening. As soon as she did, she quickly eased herself back, only to pull Blake in for another breathless kiss. Blake kissed back, breaking the contact for air, then going back in.

They kissed over and over in between sobs and laughter, until both girls were trembling too hard and were too short on breath to continue. Weiss managed to find her voice first.

"Blake, h-how did you-?"

Blake eased back as well, both arms still loosely looped around her girlfriend.

"W-Well I... r-remember that time we went out to dinner... with our parents...?"

"That was when I asked your mother and father-"

"What?" Blake gasped. "Th-That's what you were doing over there?"

"Y-Yes!" Weiss confessed. "That's why I... came out of the bathroom looking like such a mess. D-Don't tell me at the time you were-"

"I was asking your mom and dad... for your hand..."

"You... You wh..."

But as Weiss' mind rushed back to thoughts of that evening, she did recall Blake had been a little shaky as well. Weiss had assumed her father had said something insensitive to Blake to make her upset. But this explained everything perfectly.

"S-So then... Winter-"

"She knew," Blake mumbled. "And I'm guessing she was the one who helped you get my parents alone so you could talk to them...?"

"Yes..."

Another pause. The ferris wheel brought them to the top again, then began going back down. Weiss sniffled, and Blake reached out to wipe a tear, gently caressing her scarred cheek in the process.

"So then," the Faunus girl went on. "That evening when you had to stay late at work-"

"I lied about that," Weiss admitted. "I'd gone to see Ruby. To talk to her about... what I should do... She'd said Yang was gone that evening to see a friend-"

"Since you said you were working late, I knew you wouldn't be home," Blake confirmed. "I invited Yang over to our place so we could talk about... how _I'd_ propose..."

Another beat of silence. Weiss shook her head slowly.

"Those two-"

"They planned this-"

The ferris wheel brought them low, then began lifting them up once more. Weiss and Blake burst out laughing again.

"I don't believe it-"

"And yet I'm not surprised..."

They came together in another tight hug, still shaking from all the excitement. Weiss just clung to Blake for a moment, trying to absorb it all. Blake pulled her close, feeling the hard beat of Weiss' heart in her own chest.

"No wonder you'd been so stressed lately..."

"I'm sorry," Weiss murmured. "I was so caught up in it all I didn't even recognize how stressed _you_ were..."

"Of course you did. You made me breakfast in bed and helped me relax for bed every night, Weiss."

"And you were always checking to make sure I was all right."

Another kiss, and they helped put each other's worries to rest. When they parted they simply pressed their foreheads together, still hiccuping softly.

Even in spite of the fact that Blake had just provided her with the best surprise of her life, Weiss still needed to finish what she'd come here to do. She found the box in her lap and coaxed Blake to look down. Blake mirrored the motion and presented Weiss with her own box.

They opened them at the same time, revealing Weiss' beautiful black diamond and Blake's contrasting pure white one. They were dazzling gems, so lovely the sight of them drew both girls into deeper silence once more. Weiss felt more tears rushing down her face, but the smile on her lips never faded.

"Blake... I love you... with all my heart..." Her breath hitched and she choked, but in spite of how terrible she must've sounded, she kept going. "W-Would you... do me the h-highest honor... and marry me...?"

She barely got the words out before she burst into tears again, pressing her palm to her mouth to stifle it. She watched the tears tumble down Blake's cheeks as well, passing a heartfelt smile on the way down.

"Yes. _Yes,_ Weiss, I will marry you..." She leaned forward and hugged her close, sobbing into Weiss' shoulder. "I-I love you too... I love you so much... I want to spend... the rest of my life with you... Will you marry me, too...?"

"Of _course_ I will... Of course I'll marry you, Blake..." Weiss squeezed her back, and the air was once again filled with sobs and chuckles.

The two girls held tightly to one another, crying and laughing their hearts out in the purest display of affection.

After all that, they couldn't get many more words out, other than mumbles of each other's names and repeated whispers of "I love you."

They didn't know what to do with themselves. They just hugged more, kissed more. Cried more, laughed more.

The ferris wheel brought them up and down again a few more times before they managed to wipe each other's tears enough to see clearly.

That was when they each removed the respective rings from their boxes.

They each held out their left hands, and simultaneously slid the rings on with their right.

Weiss' black diamond with its faint purple accents looked gorgeous on Blake's pale skin, matching beautifully with the clothes and colors she was wearing.

And Blake's white diamond shimmered faintly blue against Weiss' perfect pallor, glowing with a subtle brilliance that compared only to Weiss' own beauty.

Both girls stared in awe at their own rings and then at each other's. The sunlight caught on the diamonds simultaneously, creating tiny little rays of rainbow light dancing through the space between them.

The ferris wheel was bringing them down for the last time.

Weiss and Blake locked eyes, sky blue with sunset gold.

Their hands came together, fingers interlocking as they leaned forward into one another.

Their lips bumped softly, then pressed together with a gentle firmness.

Their first kiss now officially as each other's fiancees.

Their hands and hearts trembled with emotion, tears still falling down quietly as they eased back. Still smiling, they pulled each other close in a desperate embrace, hearts beating as one as their carriage was finally lowered to the ground.

From there, the two girls grabbed hands and staggered to their feet together. They both nearly collapsed again with how much they were shaking, but by leaning on one another they managed to stay up.

Their carriage door was opened, and together they limped out step by step into the evening light.

There was a crowd gathered around for the next round of the ride, but at the head of it were three very familiar faces. Blake and Weiss perked up in shock.

"Ruby? Yang?"

"Winter?"

The three waiting girls spoke in turn.

"So? So?!" Ruby cried.

"How was the ride?" Yang smirked.

"Do tell," Winter agreed.

Blake and Weiss shared a glance, but the smiles returned to their faces instantly, accompanied by bright pink blushes. Maintaining their grip on one another with their free hands, they each lifted their left to reveal the rings that sparkled in the sunlight.

There was a gasp through the crowds, loudest of all from Ruby and Yang.

"Does-"

"Does that mean...?"

Blake and Weiss smiled and nodded as a few more tears of joy slipped free. They spoke their answer in unison.

"She said yes."

Not a second after the words had left their mouths, Ruby, Yang, Winter and even several strangers started squealing and clapping and cheering.

"Oh my gosh!" Ruby squeaked. "Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gooossh! It's really happening!"

"Congrats you two!" Yang clapped. "Hey everyone! We got ourselves a newly-engaged couple here!"

It didn't take long to get the attention of everyone in the general vicinity, and dozens more were rushing over to see what was going on. In only seconds, a crowd of at least a hundred people had gathered to clap and cheer and congratulate Weiss and Blake.

Winter was sure to take photos, though once she started tearing up she handed that duty over to Yang so she could try to compose herself. Ruby was already blubbering and clinging onto her older sister, and even Yang was crying.

It was almost surreal for Blake and Weiss to comprehend everything that was happening. All of this excitement and cheering on the behalf of total strangers, these congratulations and well wishes, and the overall atmosphere of joy and delight...

All of this was for them.

But it wasn't long before the two girls only had eyes for each other once again. Weiss reached up to brush her thumb over a tear on Blake's cheek. At the same time, Blake leaned down a little to bump their foreheads together.

Weiss could hear her purring even more loudly than the cheering crowds. She threw her arms around Blake and squeezed her for everything she was worth. Blake hugged her back, purring so hard Weiss could feel it.

Blake lifted her clean off the ground and gave her a twirl, causing an even louder cheer to sweep through the crowds. Weiss laughed, and in that moment she knew she'd finally understood the feeling of true bliss.

Blake set her down again, her golden eyes shimmering with the fondest affection. Weiss kept her arms looped around her neck, pulling herself up as she coaxed Blake down.

"I love you, Blake. I love you so much..."

Blake purred and pulled her closer by the small of her back.

"I love you too, Weiss."

And they hardly needed Yang's little cheering squad chanting "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" to encourage them.

Weiss and Blake kissed right there in the middle of the fairgrounds for all to see. Cheers and shouts rose up even louder than before as cameras flashed and people cried. It felt like the whole world had paused for a moment just to shine its warm evening light on them.

They kissed for as long as they could, somewhere between the soft chasteness of the first kiss to the hard-earned passion built up over the years to the most recent one.

It was tender and warm, fiery and soft.

It was the parts of their love they couldn't find words for, but could still understand perfectly deep inside their hearts.

They parted at last, purring and smiling and crying, their monochrome rings catching in the light.

When they finally turned back to their friends and family, Ruby Yang and Winter came rushing at them for a massive group hug.

Weiss and Blake welcomed them with open arms, and held onto one another at the center of it all.

And so the next chapter of their lives together would begin.

* * *

 **A/N: Ahh yes a few of you did call it and predict things exactly, but I hope you still enjoyed it nonetheless! Thanks again to Bjorn for the adorable patron request that birthed this! No matter how many times I've written proposals between the RWBY girls, especially Monochrome, it never gets old for me!**

 **I hope you enjoyed!**

 **Please review!**


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